Toxicokinetics of Ethyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (ETBE) and Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Men and Women

Details

• Personal Author:
  Pierce CH
• Description:
  Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and ETBE are used as gasoline components to reduce tailpipe emissions in 39 areas of the United States which exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for carbon monoxide and in the 9 metropolitan regions with the most elevated summertime ozone levels. MTBE and ETBE exposures occur during gasoline production and refueling, and as recently documented in California and Washington, potentially through contact with groundwater contaminated by leaking underground storage tanks. However, little is known about how the body handles MTBE, ETBE and their metabolites; nor about reliable biological indicators or occupational and environmental exposure. We conducted controlled exposures of men and women to 2.5 ppm 2H12-MTBE + 2.5 ppm ETBE for two hours with alternating periods of work and rest, and sampled blood, breath and urine during and for three days following exposure. Concurrently, a physiologically-based kinetic (KBK) model was developed to include data from other research efforts, to incorporate parameter variability through Bayesian fitting and Monte Carlo simulation techniques, and to determine a biological index of exposure Post-exposure blood and breath levels exhibited two half-lives for both 2H12-MTBE and ETBE of about 1 and 8.4 hours, and 1.5 and 10.6 hours, respectively. Tertiary-butyl-alcohol (TBA) breath concentration from each ether appeared to be a valuable index of exposure with a single half-life of 20-40 hours. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomarkers Blood Energy Metabolism Hematologic Tests Occupational Health Safety Urine
• Keywords:
  Biological Monitoring Biologic Half Life Blood Analysis Metabolic Rate Metabolic Study Metabolism Metabolites Pharmacodynamics Urinalysis
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-39
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20023640
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2005-102840
• Citation:
  NIOSH 2001 May; :1-39
• Contact Point Address:
  Crispin H Pierce, PhD, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
• CAS Registry Number:
  Ethyl tert-butyl ether (CAS RN 637-92-3) ; tert-Butanol (CAS RN 75-65-0) ; tert-Butyl methyl ether (CAS RN 1634-04-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2001
• Performing Organization:
  University of Washington, Seattle WA
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19970930
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20000929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8e7ac8fbc01cb87b9c98da68bdcc21ed3b72cfcb47bec3eb308a523b2e47de8310c6039ea7733c1efda20fd99aba4e7edba20411616832bdf102ff18e4339b38
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218038/cdc_218038_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.15 MB ]